Terminal applying mechanism



May 29, 1956 Filed Nov. 6, 1953 R. A. GREENER ET AL TERMINAL APPLYING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS.

R. A. GRNR A HUNTER May 29, 1956 R. A. GREENER ET AL 2,747,138

TERMINAL APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet' 2 llllllT m l I msuw u" INVENTORSI R A. GREENER BY A. HUNTER y 1956 R. A. GREENER ETAL 2,747,188

TERMINAL APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 66 6O INVENTORS/ 30 R A. GRfE/VEA y A HUNTER y 9, 1956 R. A. GREENER ET AL 2,747,188

TERMINAL APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS/ A. 6RNR BY Af/wvrER (5/1. M.

e 2,747,188 1 Patented May 1956- TERMINAL APPLYING MECHANISM Raymond A. Greener, Clarendon Hills, Ill., and Andrew Hunter, Clearwater, Fla., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 6, 1953, Serial No. 390,658

7 Claims. (Cl. 1-92) This invention relates to terminal applying mechanism and more particularly to mechanism for intermittently advancing a card in a machine for attaching a row of wire terminals thereto.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrically controlled mechanim for intermittently advancing an article to apply metal terminals sequentially thereto.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention as applied to a machine for attaching a row of terminals onto a card, a holder is provided which is movable through a predetermined path for guiding the card relative to the machine during the application of terminals thereto. The holder is urged for movement in one direction by spring means and is intermittently actuated in said direction by an escapement mechanism which includes a ratchet bar carried by the holder and pawl means ac,- tuated by solenoids in response to the closing of a switch by a cam on the drive shaft of the stitching machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a portion of the machine for attaching terminals sequentially to a card;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a card showing a row of terminals attached thereto by the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the card feeding mechanism showing a ratchet bar and card holder in one position in full lines and showing the card holder ina changed position in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional View showing the ratchet bar in a different position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinal vertical sectional views taken on the lines 66 and 77, respectively, of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical controls for the machine.

The present apparatus is designed to apply a row of terminals 10 to a card 11 along the margin of one edge thereof and comprises an attaching machine 15' having a vertically reciprocating operating head 16 for forming the terminals ill from a supply of wire 17. The operating head 16 is actuated by a drive shaft 18 which has a drive pulley 19 freely rotatable thereon and continuously rotated by a belt and pulley drive 20 from a driving motor 21. The drive pulley 19 is connectible to the shaft 18' through a one-revolution clutch 23, which is connected by a rod 24 to a treadle (not shown) and actuated in response to the actuation of the treadle. The operator may actuate the treadle once for each revolution of the shaft 18 or he may keep the treadle depressed to effect a continuous rotation of the shaft 18 and continuous actuation of the operating head 16 for applying the terminals sequentially to the card.

A horizontally disposed plate 30 is secured to the machine 15 beneath the stitching head 16 for supporting the card feeding mechanism thereon. At an attaching station indicated at 31 in Fig. 3 the plate 30 is apertured to provide clearance for the movement of the wire 17 into engagement with an anvil 33- of the operating mechanism which cooperates with the inserting head to clinch the terminals 10 on the card.

The card 11 is adapted to be held by a holder 34 which comprises a lower clamping member 35 and an upper clamping member 36 between which the card 11 is adapted to be gripped. The lower clamping member 35 is in the form of an elongated flat bar mounted for movement in a slot 38 in the plate 30 and is secured at one end thereof to the underneath side of a cross arm 39 which rests on the upper surface of the plate 30. The upper clamping member 36 in the form of an elongated fiat bar is pivotally connected at 41 to the cross arm for movement to and from a closed position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and an open position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

At the other end thereof the upper clamping member 36 has a catch 42 slidably mounted thereon and engageable with the sloping end 43 of the lower clamping member 35 to lock the movable clamping member 36 in closed position. The catch 42 is supported on the member 36 for sliding movement and is connected to one end of a link 45, the other end of which is connected to an eccentric member 46 which is mounted for oscillation in a bearing member 47 on the upper clamping member 36. A handle 48 fixed to the eccentric member 46 may be rotated about the axis of the member 46 to move the catch member 42 to and from open and closed positions to either release or look the upper member 36, and the handle 48 is used to move the holder 34 from a normal inoperative position shown in the full lines in Fig. 1 to its operative position shown in dotted lines in said figure.

A bar 50 positioned above the holder 34 and engageable with the cross arm 39 is secured to the plate 30 in spaced relation thereto by a spacer block 51 and rivets 52 and serves to hold the cross arm 39 against upward displacement. Springs 53 interposed between. the cross arm 39 and a stationary block 54 stress the holder 34 for movement in one direction to its normal inoperative position. A pair of rods 55 and sleeves 56 disposed in. telescoping relation to each other and fixed to the cross arm 39 and block 54, respectively, are disposed within the helical springs for preventing lateral displacement thereof.

Means are provided for advancing the card holder and the card therein step by step through predetermined distances in timed relation to the actuation of the operating head and includes an escapement mechanism operable in response to the actuation of the stitching machine. Attached to the cross arm 39'is a ratchet bar 59 which is mounted for reciprocation in the guideway of a guide member so fixed to the plate 3'19. On opposite edges thereof the ratchet bar 59 is provided with notches forming two parallel sets of teeth 61-61 in laterally aligned relation to. each other and spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between the terminals 10 on the card 11. The end faces 62 of the teeth of the sets are in coplanar alignment with one another. A pair of pawls 63 are mounted on a slide 65 which is guided for transverse move men-t in a guideway 66 of the guide member 66. The pawls 63 are mounted in spaced relation to each other for pivotal movement about pins '67 and are stressed for rotation about the pins by springs 68. The turning move ment of the pawl- 63 in one direction is limited by the engagement of the corner portion 70 thereof with a shoulder 71 on the cross slide 65 and in the reverse direction by the engagement of the pawl with the shoulder 72 on the cross slide 65. The arrangement of the pawls and ratchet teeth is such that in response to movement of the cross slide 65 in each direction the pawl in engagement with a ratchet tooth on one side of the ratchet bar will be withdrawn therefrom and the other pawl will enter the next adjacent notch and engage the end face of the following tooth of the set of teeth on the other side of the ratchet bar to permit the ratchet bar to be advanced one step. Thus, as the cross slide 65 is reciprocated alternate pawls are moved into engagement with the two sets of teeth 61 on the ratchet bar to permit the ratchet bar and the holder 34 to be advanced step by step toward the front of the machine to advance the card a predetermined uniform distance after each of the terminals has been applied thereto. A stop pin 75 extends downwardly from the ratchet bar 59 into a slot 76 in the guide member 60 and the plate 30 and cooperates with the end portions of the slot to limit the travel of the holder 34 in opposite directions.

The cross slide 65 is connected to one arm of the bell crank 78 which pivots about a fixed pin 79 and has the other arm thereof connected to a rod 30. The opposite ends of the rod 80 form armatures of and extend into a pair of solenoids 83--84. The solenoid 83 is connected in series with a pair of relay contacts 85 across power lines '86 and the solenoid 84 is connected in series with a pair of relay contacts 87 across the lines '86. The contacts 85 and 87, which are disposed in opposite relation to each other are alternately open and closed and are actuated by and form a pair of a ratchet type relay 88 which is connected in series with a normally open switch 89 across the power lines 87. The switch 89 is supported on a bracket 90 on the plate 30 in the path of movement of a cam 91 mounted on the drive shaft 18 for rotation therewith. In response to the closing of the switch 89 for each rotation of the shaft 18 the ratchet type solenoid '88 is energized and the contacts 35 and 87 are actuated to their opposite positions to deenergize one solenoid and energize the other to effect the movement of the rod 80 and the cross slide 65 from one position to the other and the movement of the holder 34 and card 11 through one step. Thus, in response to successive rotations of the shaft 18 and successive actuations of the switch 89, successive steps of movement are imparted to the holder 34 and the card 11 in timed relation to the reciprocation of the stitching head 16 to effect the sequential attaching of the terminals 16 to the card 11.

A pointer 94 is carried by the cross arm 39 of the holder and cooperates with a scale 95 on the plate 30 to indicate the position of the holder and the card relative to the operating head 16 of the machine.

In the operation of the machine with the holder 34 in its inoperative position, the handle 48 may be oscillated in an upward direction to release the catch 42, after which the upper clamping member 36 may be raised to its open position and a card placed on the plate 30 in the lower clamping member 35 with one edge portion of the card in engagement with the gaging surfaces 96 on the cross arm 39 and with an adjacent edge portion of the card in engagement with the stationary gage $7 fixed to the plate 30. The upper clamping member may then be lowered to clamp the card between the upper and lower members 3.6 and 35 and the handle may then be oscillated to lock the members in clamped position, after which force is applied to the handle in a direction to compress the pair of springs 53 and move the card holder 34 to its operative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The machine is now in condition to begin the terminal attaching operation and in response to the manual actuation of the treadle the attaching mechanism is actuated and effects the actuation of the card feeding mechanism step by step to advance a card one step for each reciprocation of the operating head 16 and the sequential stitching of the row of terminals 10 onto the cards.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for attaching wire terminals to an article, a wire inserting means, a holder for the article, means for guiding said holder for reciprocable movement through a predetermined distance to guide said article relative to the inserting means, means for stressing said holder for movement in one direction, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement therewith and having two parallel sets of ratchet teeth, a pawl for each of said sets of ratchet teeth, means for reciprocating said pawls into and out of engagement with said two sets of ratchet teeth, whereby when one pawl is moved out of engagement with one set of teeth the other pawl is moved into engagement with the other set of teeth and permits movement of the holder through one step in said one direction, means for actuating said inserting means, and means operable in timed relation to said inserting means for controlling said pawl reciprocating means to effect the step by step movement of said holder and the attaching of wire terminals onto said article.

2. In a machine having a reciprocable operating head for attaching electrical terminals sequentially onto a card, the combination therewith of a card holder, means for guiding said holder through a predetermined path to guide said card relative to said operating head, resilient means for stressing said holder for movement in one direction, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement therewith and having two parallel sets of ratchet teeth, -a pawl for each of said sets of ratchet teeth, electromagnetic means for reciprocating said pawls into and out of engagement with said two sets of ratchet teeth, whereby when one pawl is moved out of engagement with one set of teeth the other pawl is moved into engagement with the other set of teeth and permits movement of the holder through one step in said one direction, and means operable in timed relation to the actuation of said operating head for energizing said electro-magnetic means to effect a step by step movement of the holder in said one direction.

3. In a machine having a reciprocable operating head for attaching terminals onto a card, the combination therewith' of a card holder, means for guiding said holder for movement through a predetermined path to guide said card relative to said operating head, resilient means for stressing said holder for movement in one direction, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement therewith and having two parallel sets of ratchet teeth, a slide mounted for reciprocable movement transversely of said ratchet bar, a pair of pawls mounted on said slide for movement therewith for alternate engagement with alternate sets of ratchet teeth to effect the movement of the ratchet bar through one step in said one direction in response to movement of said slide in either direction and for holding said ratchet bar against movement in said one direction between successive steps thereof, a pair of solenoids having armatures, means for connecting the armatures of said solenoids to said slide for imparting reciprocable movement thereto in response to alternate energization of said solenoids to effect a step-by-step movement of said ratchet bar and said card holder in said one direction, and means for alternately energizing one and deenergizing the other of said solenoids for each reciprocation of said operating head.

4. In a machine having a reciprocable operating head for attaching a row of terminals onto a card, the combination therewith of a card holder, means for guiding said holder for movement through a predetermined path to guide said card relative to said operating head, resilient means for stressing said holder for movement in one direction, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement therewith and having two parallel sets of ratchet teeth, a slide mounted for reciprocable movement transversely of said ratchet bar, a pair of pawls mounted on said slide for movement therewith for alternate engagement with alternte sets of teeth, a first solenoid operatively connected to said slide for moving said slide in one direction for disengaging one of said pawls from one set of teeth and for engaging the other pawl with the other set of teeth to effect the movement of said bar and holder through one step, a second solenoid operatively connected to said slide for moving it in the opposite direction for disengaging said other pawl from the other set of teeth and for engaging said one pawl with said one set of teeth for efiecting the movement of the ratchet bar and the card holder through one step, and means operable in timed relation to the reciprocation of said operating head for alternately energizing and deenergizing said solenoids to efiect the stepby-step movement of said ratchet bar and said card holder.

5. In a machine having a reciprocable operating head for attaching a row of terminals onto a card, the combination therewith of a card holder, means for guiding said holder for movement through a predetermined path to guide said card relative to said operating head, spring means for stressing said holder for feeding movement in one direction, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement therewith and having sets of ratchet teeth on opposite sides thereof, a slide mounted for reciprocable movement transversely of said ratchet bar, a pair of pawls mounted on said slide for movement therewith on opposite sides of said bar for alternate engagement with alternate sets of ratchet teeth to effect the movement of the ratchet bar through one step in said one direction in response to movement of said slide in either direction, a pair of solenoids in spaced and axially aligned relation to each other and having a rod disposed therebetween with the ends of the rods forming armatures therefor whereby said rod may be reciprocated in response to energization alternately of said solenoids, means interconnecting said rod and said slide for imparting reciprocable movement to said slide in response to reciprocation of said rod, and means for alternately energizing one and deenergizing the other of said solenoids for each reciprocation of said operating head to effect a step-by-step feeding movement of the card.

6. In a machine having a reciprocable operating head for attaching a row of terminals onto a card, the combination therewith of a card holder, means for guiding said holder for movement through a predetermined path to guide said card relative to said operating head, spring means for stressing said holder for feeding movement, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement there with and having two parallel sets of ratchet teeth, a slide mounted for reciprocable movement transversely of said ratchet bar and having a pair of pawls thereon engageable alternately with said alternate sets of teeth, a first solenoid operatively connected to said slide for moving said slide in one direction for disengaging one of said pawls from one set of teeth and engaging the other pawl with the other set of teeth to efiect the movement of said ratchet bar and said holder through one, step, a second solenoid operatively connected to said slide for moving it in the opposite direction for disengaging said other pawl from said other set of teeth and for engaging said one pawl with said one set of teeth for effecting the movement of the ratchet bar and the card holder through one step, a ratchet type relay and a normally open switch connected in series to a source of power, said relay having a first pair of relay contacts connected in series with said first solenoid to a source of power and having a second pair of relay contacts connected in series with said second solenoid to a source of power, said relay contacts being movable to and from open and closed positions and disposed in opposite relation to each other, and means on said machine for closing and opening said switch for each reciprocation of the operating head.

7. In a machine having a reciprocable operating head for attaching a row of terminals onto a card, the combination therewith of a card holder, means for guiding said holder for movement through a predetermined path to guide said card relative to said operating head, spring means for stressing said holder for movement in one direction, a ratchet bar connected to said holder for movement therewith and having a plurality of V-shaped notches on opposite sides thereof forming two parallel sets of ratchet teeth having end faces in coplanar alignment with one another, a slide mounted for reciprocable movement transversely of said ratchet bar, a pair of pawls having end portions engageable in said notches and engageable with the end faces of said ratchet teeth, means mounting said pawls on said slide on opposite sides of said bar for movement therewith and for limited oscillatable movement to and from predetermined first and second positions, a first solenoid operatively connected to said slide for moving said slide in one direction in response to energization of said solenoid for disengaging one of said pawls from the teeth of said one set and for engaging the other pawl with the teeth of the other set, a second solenoid operatively connected to said slide for moving it in the opposite direction in response to energization of said second solenoid for disengaging said other pawl from the other set of teeth and for engaging said one pawl with said one set of teeth, said pawls serving when in a notch in said ratchet bar and in engagement with the end face of a tooth thereof to hold the ratchet bar and the card holder :against movement in said one direction and said pawls being pressed by said bar into said first position, spring means for stressing said pawls to a second position with a portion of the pawls in alignment with the next adjacent V-slraped notch whereby in response to move ment of the slide in either direction the disengaged pawl will be moved into the next adjacent notch and into engagement with the next adjacent tooth on one of the sets of teeth to limit the movement of the ratchet bar to one step, and means operable in timed relation to the reciprocation of said operating head for alternately energizing and deenergizing said solenoids to eifect the stepby-step movement of said ratchet bar and said card holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,301,600 Pierce et al. Apr. 22, 1919 1,880,726 Bliss et a1 Oct. 4, 1932 2,350,278 Hines May 30, 1944 

